Reputation
by LinktoTwilight
Summary: Short oneshot of Jade. Some titles aren't as welcome as others...


It was a shock the first time he ever heard it. He could still remember the very day it happened. Peony had him out on some ridiculous errand, he couldn't remember what any more, and it forced him to walk through Grand Chokmah's main square.

He had never liked crowds, especially markets. To be honest, he had never been a fan of personal interaction in general, even when he was a young boy. It had always seemed frivolous: everyone running into each other as they attempted to fill their simple lives by spending money on pointless trivialities. On the rare occasion, however, if the mood struck him, he sometimes enjoyed standing on the edges of the commotion, observing with arrogant fascination the manner in which the people would interact and move around, his red eyes catching every glimpse of their private affairs. It was a kind of hectic chaos, and the subtle paradox it implied was somehow worth studying.

But then, to him, everything was worth studying. Looking back, that scientific attitude probably contributed to the rumors surrounding his name. But even considering that, this one was slightly unnerving.

"_Necromancer_."

It was whispered as he exited the throng, spoken in fear. At first he wasn't even sure if it was directed at him. He shook off the intuition telling him otherwise, blaming the town gossips for their eccentric topics of conversation.

Then he heard it again a few days later, after a routine inspection he was conducting at a nearby military base. He mentally steeled himself as he dismissed the men. His reputation always preceded him to these functions, and once more he casually ignored the stares that the soldiers barely hid. There were murmurs between comrades, as usual, and most of the conversations revolved around his many labels. Jade Curtiss. The colonel that wouldn't become general. The prodigy in almost every subject, including fomicry. The childhood friend of Emperor Peony himself. The Necromancer.

His head snapped around, searching for the source of the insult, but he found none. He excused himself from the militaristic discussions as soon as he could, walking slowly back to his own lodging. His outside appearance betrayed nothing. Shoulders back, chin high, pace confident, he was the image of the perfect soldier. Within, however, his mind was contemplating this newest development.

Necromancer. How foolish. Necromancers did not even exist. Which aspect of his life had prompted such a title? True, with his intimidating wit and standoffish nature, even he knew how uncomfortable he made the general public. But what he had done to suggest that he raised the dead?

With no other option available, he was forced to ask the one person he could: Peony.

The Emperor flinched when he asked. "Oh, you heard that, huh?"

Jade nodded, wary of his friend's reaction. "Yes. Why? Should I not have?"

Peony frowned. "You aren't…upset?"

"Of course not." Jade shrugged. "The rabble of the general public is no concern of mine. I'm merely curious." Peony visibly relaxed. "Would you have an idea about how this came about?"

Peony raised an eyebrow. "Wow. I didn't anything could escape your overactive mind, Jade."

"It gets worse with every passing year. I'm afraid I'm just getting too old for such monumental tasks," Jade replied coyly, raising his hands in mock defeat.

"Uh-huh," Peony scoffed.

They sat in silence for a moment, Jade watching Peony, Peony petting the rappig in his lap. "So, are you going to tell me what you know or do I have to go interrogate a few of your townspeople?" Jade finally broke in.

Peony laughed. "You _are _upset about this! I knew it!" He threw his hands up as Jade took a step forward. "Alright, alright! Calm down!" He set his rappig down gently, then stood and faced his friend. "It's about your military reputation. And your recent actions in the hospital. I told you that anatomy fling of yours would end badly." He turned and walked to his desk, playing with a piece of paper on the edge. "It seems the people of Grand Chokmah have created the idea that you prey off the dead after every battle, seeking corpses to use in your research."

Jade remained silent, his eyes hidden behind his glasses, his face blank. Peony shifted from foot to foot, nervous. "I wouldn't look too much into it," he said reassuringly. "There are rumors spreading of a possible war with Kimlasca-Lanvaldear. It's making everyone edgy. This will pass soon enough."

Jade smiled. "I didn't think it wouldn't. This wouldn't be the first time I've dealt with misconceptions about my character." His gaze turned thoughtful. "Maybe I should go out and dig around a bit, though. I wonder how far I could take this."

Peony gasped. "Jade! That is not funny!"

Jade put a hand to his glasses, hiding his small smile. "It was just a thought. Anyway, I'll be leaving now. I have some dead bodies to examine."

Peony watched him as he left, concerned. He worried about Jade sometimes. Someday that mask of his was going to break, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be around when it did.


End file.
